


Shake off the devil and run like a rebel

by MageRebel



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Episode 74 Spoilers, Kinda?, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Teasing, With some minor changes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 02:42:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20202409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MageRebel/pseuds/MageRebel
Summary: The Mighty Nein decide to sleep at the house before going off to face the white dragon, leaving Essek a bit annoyed at having to come all the way out to just return in the morning, a compromise is made and rooming with Caleb for the night makes the most sense.





	Shake off the devil and run like a rebel

**Author's Note:**

> I’m just way too invested in HotBoi at this point. Probably going to end up writing something every time they interact at this point.

Through familiar circumstances Essek finds himself back at the Nein’s house, a little frustration building in the fact they called him over asking to be teleported yet again, only to be told they wanted to sleep first and go in the morning instead. Beauregard’s attempts at ‘hosting’ were amusing at least offering him a drink, being sure to inform him it was no longer called a ‘White Xhorhasian’, as well as offering him to stay the night as an apology. He could use a break from his research anyways. The party seemed tired from their trip from Gods knows where at this point, last time Essek saw them they were a few hours away from a volcano, a small discussion about who was sleeping where and soon everyone was drifting off to various rooms to sleep. Essek following closely behind Caleb towards his room. “You are asking me to do a lot on just faith you do understand right?” Essek says making small conversation, in an attempt to understand the logic that was at play in going off to find a dragon of all things. “Well, faith has been a bit of a common thing for us lately. So maybe it’s a good thing.” Caleb offered as a response, not even an apology, both of them knowing Essek wouldn’t bother to be here if he wasn’t going to teleport them in the morning regardless. The plans to leave early tossed, by deciding if they were going to fight a possible ancient white dragon, it’d be nice to sleep in a warm bed and not the dome the night before. After the worm fight, and nearly losing Beau, the idea of an early death was in the back of the party’s minds again. Once they were back in the house, the giant tree welcoming them home, it was hard to think of leaving it so soon. Letting Essek stay the night was just being polite, any ulterior motives that came with it, were just purely coincidental Caleb reasoned. It would be rude to send him to walk all the way back home just to come back early the next morning. It would also be perfectly reasonable that Essek should stay in the study or in the room where Caleb slept, since the rooms were filled upstairs with their guest Reani, and to quote Jester’s very subtle talk with Essek a few moment before the tiefling retired to bed, ‘It’s the rooms your most familiar with after all’. Essek wasn’t sure if that meant Caleb had told The Nein about their extended study sessions, or the fondness Essek had for the Wizard was more apparent than he thought, knowing what he knew about Jester now both were very high possibilities. Essek wouldn’t put it past her to try grasping at straws though.

Essek can’t help but notice how Caleb holds himself walking into his room at last, shoulders falling lax with the no longer need to close himself off like he tended to do, favoring one side of his body like he had suffered several injures recently. He had somewhat of an idea a mercenary life style was like, but up close and personal it was more revealing than expected. Even with the excitement of a new person in the group, the loss of their friend Yasha still hung heavy in the group, Essek can’t assume this angelic woman was a replacement but it was rubbing the group in a strange way. “Exactly what sort of faith would hunting an ancient white dragon would be in an interest for someone as clever as yourself?” Essek wonders aloud perusing Caleb’s room which closely resembled the study room it sat next to, having not changed much since he was last here, glancing at the odd collection of books and other objects presumably from places far from here. A jar of warm brown sand caught Essek’s eye, picking it up he watched grains bounce around shifting with the tilt of his hands, if opened probably smelt sharply of the sea and the Menagerie coast. Not wanting to risk it breaking open Essek places it back where it sat, next to the other simple items Caleb seemed fond of, neatly and carefully put on display. “Faith in the fact we’re doing the right thing perhaps. Faith that we’re trying to fix the things we did wrong. Faith that we aren’t completely giving up on...” Caleb trails off, his voice getting that venerable side to it, emotions bubbling over easily. Essek didn’t have all the details of what went down, what even was the history of Caleb before he showed up with the dodecahedron in hand, let alone any of the Nein really. Other than most of them were from the Empire. The Dynasty handled death differently, believed it was just the end of one life and the start of another one, celebrated even at times knowing you weren’t really saying goodbye. Essek still missed his friends though, the ones he’s lost in the war, ones who don’t have the privilege of getting another life like he will. Caleb was leaning against the smaller desk he had placed in his room, coat taken off and placed amongst the books of dunamancy and transmutation on said desk, scattered half open and filled with pages of notes. Caleb is back to closing himself off again at Essek’s prying, bandaged arms crossed against his chest, and head looking down at the stone ground. 

Essek isn’t great at these things, a bit of a loner really, mostly occupying his day with work, there being a war going on meaning there was always something required of him. It’s easy to lose yourself in the rhythm, forgetting to talk to people besides how many have been captured or killed, or how their rations and supplies were doing. Elf lives were long, especially when you had multiples of them, things could wait till you had the time. Being a protege of sorts meant more important things were to be focused on, not the trivial of socialization and dealing with emotions that weren’t his own, focusing on his potential. The bandages around Caleb’s arms, ones that Essek had seen on plenty of scourgers with similar wrappings or gloves to cover the scars from crystal residuum, knows that Caleb suffered at least some point in his life if still not now the same feeling of not living up to potential. “The Dynasty knows what you are doing, if they didn’t like what you were doing, then you wouldn’t have the house your standing in, or all the resources we’ve given to you and your group. Your methods are...unique but develop results, saving quiet a few lives already, so they’re still happy with what you’ve been accomplishing.” Essek says after a quiet moment, letting Caleb gain his thoughts again, while giving Essek time to form a response that would be helpful, not trying to relate to what was ever going on inside Caleb’s elaborate mind. Caleb didn’t say anything, but the tense line in his shoulders drops and easesinto something a bit more relaxed once more, digging his rough beaten up boot heel into stone floor blue eyes trained away from Essek. Without a sound through practiced movements, the drow moves across the room, not touching the ground and moving into Caleb’s space. Purplish grey hands clashing against pale skin, as Essek gently tugs on Caleb’s arms until they uncross, taking the bandaged and burn scarred palms in his own. “I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t-“ Essek’s sentence falls apart as he’s talking, realizing what he was saying wasn’t entirely true, at least to some degree. Honestly not sure of himself if The Dynasty told him to cut all ties with the Nein or Raven Queen forbid he had to do anything to them himself. He was loyal to his queen beyond anything else at the end of the day, but he couldn’t ignore his feelings entirely. Caleb’s face lifts up, eyes moving up from the spot they were drilling into the ground, and so close to Essek barely an inch between their lips. Noses brushing against each other in the barest brush of skin. 

“We both know that not true. Jester likes you too much, don’t think you could shake her if you tried.” Caleb’s Zemnian accent thick and present as ever as he cracks a half reluctant smile at his attempt at redeeming his slip of emotions. It makes Essek grin slightly at the multitude of memories of her popping into his head, asking absurd and confusing questions when he’s never expecting them, and offering him a cupcake upon seeing her cheery blue self. It’s not the first person who comes to mind that Essek is wondering about if he would miss him if he had to leave for any reason. Perhaps a close second maybe. “And what do you think?” Essek muses curious to what Caleb would say, knowing that this feeling wasn’t just a one way thing, wasn’t anything as dramatic as love or adoring each other. There was too much in their lives going on to delve that deep yet by any means. Essek just hoped he wasn’t going to be apart of a string of broken hearts Caleb left behind him. The Wizard didn’t seem like the type, but Essek wasn’t sure so sure about anything these days anymore, it was something to think about at times though. “I appreciate your company.” Caleb breathes out, hands squeezing Essek’s just a bit tighter, like he’s scared that the drow would leave him at any moment. Essek has no plans of any sort.

“Is that all?” Essek breaths out, tilting his face just a few centimeters foreword, not enough to make a real full move to kiss Caleb. Even pulling back ever so slightly when their lips almost touch. It was still new whatever this casual thing is between them. It was a lot fro Essek to process just being so unordinary, growing up being told all of these things about humans and the empire, and now he was occasionally sleeping with someone who was both of those things. Caleb is there to make sure he doesn’t overthink this in the moment, seeing the hesitancy and reacting, one of Caleb’s hand resting on the edge of Essek’s jaw keeping him close. Then in a slow but sudden second, Caleb clears the barely there space that is left, and kisses him deeply. Essek is slow to respond, but falls into the rhythm of the kiss, loosing his concentration of his levitating spell rather embarrassingly quick. Grey skin of his face flushing barely noticeably into a faint blush, as he feels himself lower slightly feet touching onto the ground, now a good couple inches shorter than Caleb. The slight change in height not quiet enough to break the kiss, Essek leans more into Caleb, hips nudging against each other in any form of touching they can get for now. Caleb’s hands buried themselves into Essek’s neatly styled white undercut, messing it up like it was his intention the entire time, instead of just trying to keep Essek from considering moving away. Which he has no plans of, unless it was just for the barest of seconds to take a breath of air, before kissing Caleb deeper than before. As the room begins to grow with the feeling of heat, Essek cants his hips foreword, delicious friction flooding his systems. Only then realizing he was half hard against Caleb’s thigh, sliding his own thigh foreword against Caleb’s groin Essek can the same hardness present in the other mans trousers, making Caleb groan and bite a bit harshly into Essek’s bottom lip mid kiss. Caleb pulls away with a bit of pink embarrassment noticeable in his cheeks, as Essek opens his golden eyes again, licking at the bite mark. Not bleeding thankfully, but definitely noticeable.

The icy blue eyes are softer looking now the line of stress between Caleb’s eyebrows was gone. “There might be something more to it I suppose.” Caleb murmured, his hands falling to the front of Essek’s heavy cloak, delicate fingers parting the middle of its deep black iridescent fabric and slipping inside to rest on his hips. As if Caleb was attempting to keep him from floating back upwards. Essek smilies knowingly at the response, voice laced with a hint of teasing. “Something more, hmmm? You should show me.” Something flashes in Caleb’s eyes, stroking the ever present flame that rests inside the pyromancer, giving Essek all the information he could need in that moment of where this was heading. The hands resting on Essek’s hips move up his sides until Caleb’s palms rest on his chest, carefully picking up the intricate but sturdy mantle that rests over Essek’s cloak and shoulders, easily coming off and Caleb rests the regal ostentatious piece on the desk behind him. Soon after Caleb’s hands make simple work of the clasp resting below Essek’s neck keeping the cloak secure around his lithe elven frame, and in a simple push the thick elegant dark fabric falls to the ground into a pile. The drow ‘tsks’ mildly offended at the mistreatment of his very expensive cloak, but there’s no heat behind it, not daring to stop Caleb in his ministrations. Essek’s clothes under his cloak were rather simple, but still kept the regal look of importance, even if very few people saw it. A deep grey purple sleeveless shirt which had a series of fancy clasps down the middle of it, sleeves tended to get in the way, a risk of catching on something or restricting the delicate movement dunamancy required. Anything to make Essek the powerhouse of magic they required of him, he was going to make sure it was perfect, simple things making it easier and sometimes even faster.

Caleb’s fingers dance on the first buckle hesitant on opening it for a reason, Essek goes to say something, but Caleb responds first. “Is this okay?” Essek has to hold back from rolling his eyes, his own hands moving to where Caleb’s were resting and undoing the buckle on his shirt himself, followed by the rest of them. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise.” Essek finds himself repeating the phrase once again to reaffirm both of them. “Now get you clothes off human.” The drow mocks humorously pushing against Caleb’s chest with one hand sending him further into the middle of the room. “Someone is eager.” Caleb speaks aloud as he goes with the order anyways beginning to work his tunic off. Rolling his shoulders Essek takes the shirt off, tossing it somewhere amongst his other items that were slowly starting to scatter around. His grey fingers land on the desk, tips pressing into the solid wood, admiring it and the memories he had with it. 

_ Leaning over Caleb’s shoulder as the Wizard asked questions about certain passages. Essek’s arms reaching down to carefully correct Caleb’s hand motions, Essek’s face resting close his, his grey skin warming against Caleb’s. He was a fast learner to say the least. Much bolder and confident than Essek was when he was that novice. How suddenly Caleb had tilted his face back towards Essek and kissed him that first time. The small spark of magic dying in both of their hands as Essek had kissed back without a thought. Being pulled in closer and onto Caleb lap immediately, both of them making out until they were panting, hands reaching down against each other. Spell casting replaced with moans of pleasure and the energy of magic switched with the electrifying feeling of doing something primal and raw. All of it flooding Essek’s mind again as he leased against the very same desk Essek . _

Pulling himself back out of his thoughts he look up back at Caleb, his undershirt was gone with the tunic now bare chested as well, he was currently in the slow methodical process of undoing the wrappings around his arms. Sometimes Caleb keeps them on sometimes he doesn’t. Scars littering his pale arms faintly still glowing green with the residuum that was once shoved under his skin. Essek’s eyes examines Caleb’s frame, so much different than the elves he’s grown up with and around. Bigger than him, not by much but enough to see the difference, not muscular like Beau either more lithe like his own frame in some aspects. Caleb had much more hair than Essek mostly. Auburn hair dusting across his chest, down his stomach, and into a trail that disappeared into Caleb’s pant line half hard cock still visible through the thin fabric. The facial hair was hard to adjust to as well having only been with other drow before, Essek was starting to appreciate it more, considering how well it accented Caleb’s jawline and more importantly how it felt brushed harshly against his thighs sometimes burning for days after. Essek blinks out of his gaze when Caleb moves, dirty bandages fully taken off and discarded messily on the ground, heading to sit on his bed. “You are staring again.” Caleb chides Essek, pulling at the buckles of his boots, that thump loudly as they fall freely to the ground one after another. Essek starts slipping his boots off as well setting them neatly next to each other, then pushing off the desk, and walking towards Caleb. “Are you complaining Widogast?” Essek asks as he seats himself in the others lap, resting his arms around Caleb’s warm freckled shoulders. “Not in the slightest Theylss.” Essek leans in and kisses Caleb, not nearly as passionate as before, teasing practically. The drow pressing his lips in a chaste kiss slowly letting it get more and more intense, then pulling back away as soon as Caleb attempts any sort of attempt at making it deeper, stopping any sort of touch of soft pink tongue or fight for dominance. It not enough, but at the same time becomes an addicting game of how long Essek can keep this up before caving, body naturally starting to rock against Caleb’s waist grinding his hardness against Caleb’s own.

The other Wizard seems to have tricks of his own, Caleb playing along but having his own plans set in motion, first by undoing the opening of Essek’s pants giving him a bit more room to work with. Essek sees Caleb’s hands in a spell casting motion that he recognizes, but can’t place right away, it’s fast meaning it’s a cantrip most likely. He doesn’t care enough to think too much into it, if this was some elaborate ploy to kill Essek he doubts the Mighty Nein would be that stupid. Even if they managed to kill him through a shit ton of luck they’d be in the middle of the Kryn Dynasty in the house they gave the party. All thoughts of that idea are gone as soon as Caleb’s hands reach around his waist, dipping into the back hem of his pants, and feels finger tips pressing against his hole slightly slick due to arcane means. The next time Essek pulls away as Caleb tries for the fourth time to dip his tongue inside the Drow’s mouth, Caleb presses a single slick finger into him, temporarily stunning Essek like he wasn’t expecting it so suddenly. Which was the idea after all. Taking his opportunity Caleb kisses Essek’s slightly slack jawed mouth, sliding his tongue inside, this time Essek doesn’t fight it. Groaning slightly against Caleb’s mouth, as well as rock back against the finger inside him. Caleb pulls away shortly after with a winning grin, teeth tugging slightly at Essek’s bottom lip, fucking his finger in a slow rhythm just starting to prep him open. “Fuck you.” Essek breathes out voice a little less confident and steady as it normally was, now just rocking against the finger inside him, keeping his hands occupied by reaching down into Caleb’s breeches defiantly taking the hard cock in his hand using the same arcane slick spell. “I see that you are catching onto the plan.” Caleb says way too cockily with that slightly deeper pitch of a voice now that he was more than a bit turned on. Essek adjusts fairly quickly, Caleb can add another finger soon after, stretching just that much more, nudging against that sensitive bundle of nerves if he times it right when Essek rocks back against his fingers. The drow falling apart in his arms, Essek’s face resting against Caleb’s shoulder panting against his neck, still stroking Caleb’s cock steadily. Various motions of jacking him off in a tight grip, to slow and teasingly playing with his flushed cock head, smearing the leaking drips of pre cum in between his grey fingers. Essek far too skilled for his own good, rubbing his fingers in just the right ridges, knowing how to give Caleb almost too much pleasure before slowing down completely. Still intent on playing this game he’s created. Eventually Caleb slips the third and final finger in, Essek is almost shaking in his arms, going from the occasional groan when Caleb hits his prostate to covering up his steady moans in Caleb’s neck.

When he’s confident Essek’s been stretched enough for his cock, Caleb stops his finger motions pulling them out making a small groan slip from where Essek is nestled into him, and wiping the remaining slick off on his pants Caleb so desperately to get off. Essek makes no effort to move, seeming content to stay cuddled there, which wouldn’t be the worse, if he wasn’t still half heartedly foundling Caleb’s dick. “You still with me?” Caleb asks wanting to make sure the drow wasn’t falling asleep on him. It takes a moment for Essek to respond, but when he does he sounds more relaxed than Caleb’s ever heard him speak, they’ve fucked a few times now but it’s always been very rough and dirty. Typically one of them having to be somewhere else within a short amount of time. This being the longest they’ve been together recently that wasn’t a teaching lesson. When Essek showed up at the door earlier, ready to teleport them, he seemed tired eyes heavy from whatever it was Essek occupied his day with. “Very much so. You are just quiet comfortable.” As Essek does what could only be described as nuzzling against his jaw, Caleb uses one of the tricks he’s learned in dealing with Essek and presumably other elves if he’s overheard Fjord correctly, by using two fingers to stroke over the very sensitive long pointed ear which instantly starts to twitch and flicker. Essek’s hips buck harshly against Caleb’s, cursing under his breath about almost coming, and giving Caleb a glaring look as he moves to lay back against the bed. Tugging at his pants Essek begins to take them off, wiggling and lifting his hips to push them downwith his small clothes, off his feet and kicked off the bed to the ground. 

Caleb means to do the same, ditch his last garments as well, gets them half way down his thighs before he becomes distracted, looking at Essek’s bare frame laid out upon Caleb’s bed as he shifted to get in a more comfortable position. Blue eyes taking in all of the exposed grey skin but mostly focusing on Essek’s cock, which was a slightly darker grey than the rest of his skin, that gradually became a softer grey becoming a hazy purple at the tip. A bead of pearly pre cum oozed out the tip of Essek’s cock, dripping down thoughtlessly along a vein, one that Caleb mapped out with his tongue in a blowjob that will be in his memory for as long as he can think. “I know I’m quiet breathtaking Caleb, but I believe you had a plan, unless you’d rather just watch me for the rest of the evening. Which could be interesting.” Essek interrupts Caleb staring, legging shamelessly wide open as he waited for Caleb to do anything really, holding eye contact with Caleb before pointedly looking down at the wizards cock which was throbbing and seemed desperate for anything at this point. Gears seeming to finally be turning again, Caleb finishes taking his pants and undergarments off in a quick motion, joining Essek in the bed kneeling between his legs. Essek wraps his thighs around Caleb’s waist pulling him in closer, as well as motioning Caleb to bring his face towards him as well, falling back into another kiss this one lasting only a handful of seconds. Caleb rests his forehead against Essek’s though, one hand taking his hand, while the other helped line his cock up against Essek’s hole. They’ve done with a handful of times to be familiar with each other in much tighter and faster moments, to not be bothered with a warning at this point, but Caleb nudges his nose against Essek’s playfully as one last check in to make sure everything was still good. Essek nods and rolls his eyes, about to open his mouth in an annoyed reply, but it dies in his throat as Caleb slides fully seated in one smooth thrust. No slow build up or teasing, like Essek expected, squeezing Caleb’s hand tightly as he adjusts to the sudden but very much wanted full feeling inside him.

It can barely considered a moment before Essek rolls his hips back onto Caleb’s, tangling his hand into the auburn long hair dragging him back into a searing kiss, fucking himself against Caleb’s cock before Caleb gets the chance to do it himself. Using the pace Essek starts with Caleb begins thrust his cock inside, somewhere between slow and sensual but not quiet a harsh pounding just yet. Both of them getting comfortable with the feeling, the tight warm heat surrounding Caleb’s cock, as well as the intense over whelming full feeling of a cock fully seat in Essek that was lighting up all of his nerves and sweet spots inside. The simple pace grows repetitive for both of them soon. Essek grinding back against Caleb a little faster, Caleb keeping pace and spending less time fully seated inside and more focused on the fast friction that makes his spine crawl with pleasure. Both of their foreheads are still resting against each other, panting and letting out soft moans against each other’s faces, it’s far too warm as sweat builds on both their bodies. The air in the room itself growing impossibly thicker and warm with the smell of sweat, the sounds of moans, skin against skin, and Caleb’s bed shifting and squeaking. Using his free hand now Caleb uses it to hold the bed frame, getting a better leverage for his deeper thrusts now, going just that tiny bit more which he knew that would drive Essek up the wall. Obviously perfectly evident results when Essek’s moans change from a some what consistent stream of blabber of Caleb’s name and a mix of harder or faster, to a rapid higher pitched moan reeking of sin in much more sporadic successions. Essek isn’t very loud in bed, still quiet and a bit more on the reserved side, as he was with most things. Caleb has always been more on the quiet side as well, still very much in blissful pleasure but not holding back in anyway, quiet moans just trailing off of his rapid breathing a little more higher pitched than his regular voice that start trailing into whines as he gets closer to coming. “Caleb. Caleb. C-Caleb. Gods I’m close Caleb.” Essek manages between his moans, the mantra of Caleb’s name dissolving the more Caleb pounds into Essek at the specific angle he memorized during their first time together. Essek’s hand grips at Caleb’s hair while the other hand, now moved from Caleb’s palm to his back, bites almost painfully into his skin where the nails dig in. The drow under him is close to coming, but Caleb’s been riding the edge since the first tight thrust into Essek’s body, knowing he’s not going to last too much longer. “Scheiße Essek.” Caleb curses as his thrust become erratic and desperate, desperate to go as deep as he can, but quickly to keep that addicting friction. Caleb shudders as he starts coming, hips relentless as his cum fills Essek’s hole, spilling out and making a mess as Caleb continues to thrust his cock forward not wanting it to end. Essek pulls him into a sloppy kiss half way through it, moans into his mouth at the feeling of cum filling his ass and painting his skin white, pushing the elf over the edge at the tail end of Caleb’s orgasm. Essek whimpering and cursing in a mix of elvish and common as he comes against his stomach. Shooting out hot white come until his grey cock twitches tiredly but sated.

Caleb pulls out with a wet noise, not caring where he falls on the bed next to Essek landing in something wet not really sure if it’s sweat or cum, Caleb isn’t really sure he cares either way. His right hand feels warmer than it should be, familiar to the feeling after a battle, not quiet the same as casting a fireball but more on the fire bolt level. Staring at his palm it has a slightly dying red glow and quickly glancing at the headboard there’s a hand shaped burn mark etched into it. Caleb huffs out a small laugh knowing through past history there wasn’t much he could do about it now, beside purchase a new headboard, but with Essek seeming to be sticking around for a while the need seemed unnecessary. Essek who was just as sweaty and exhausted looking as Caleb felt, was riding the final highs of his orgasm now, starting to sit up but a unpleasant look falls across his sculpted features. Shifting in his seat as more come slips out of his tender hole onto the sheets. “Well that’s quiet gross.” Essek mumbles out, lifting one hand up to trance practiced symbols, a bit of arcane flair dances off his fingertips and the mess of the bed is gone. No longer sweaty or sticky with cum, at least good enough to sleep in, Caleb knows he’s going to need to wash them properly. Maybe not right away, hopefully the smell of Essek will stay around long enough until he gets back to sleep in his bed again. Seeming satisfied Essek lays down half on top of Caleb curling against his chest, head tucked against his neck again, getting quiet clingy again. Caleb doesn’t complain, considering he’s the same way, wrapping his arm around Essek’s back tracing the basic shapes of Dunamancy in the simple post after glow.

It’s quiet for a moment before, “You did that one backwards.” Essek points out, somehow figuring out exactly what Caleb was practicing. “Well, maybe it’s because I’m a little out of it at the moment.” Caleb defends himself with a small laugh, then tracing the same shape again, but in the correct direction. Essek is a absentmindedly running his hands through the chest hair on Caleb’s chest deep in thought. “You owe me. For the second time now.” He says in an almost somber way, making anxiety start bubbling in Caleb’s chest, worried what he could possibly owe Essek. “For the lessons of something else?” Caleb asks quietly, he thought those were free, at least provided as a service for what they were doing for the Dynasty. “No, not that. I wouldn’t be fucking you after half of them if that were so. It’s the teleportation spells your group has been asking for. They aren’t easy for me to provide, and leave me without a high level spells for the day, and not only is it quiet dangerous as well. We’ve been lucky on landing close enough to where you need to go, but there is a pretty high risk it might not work.” Or kill them possibly but Essek decides to leave that out, figuring Caleb was smart enough to know that, considering the failed attempt fairly recently. “Oh, well we can pay you, and I’ve been getting myself familiar with teleportation circles to places we plan on returning to.” Caleb offers, feeling a bit bad for taking advantage of Essek’s kindness towards them, even if the group wasn’t completely aware of their more closer relationship yet. “I don’t require money. I don’t personally mind your plans and ideas are quiet entertaining, my superiors are aware of the situation though, and don’t like providing free powerful spell. Particularly ones that take you directly out of our districts.” Caleb is quiet as he listens to Essek’s dilemma not sure what to say other than let the guilt settle in his stomach. It makes sense though and has been in the back of his mind. “Should we be concerned?” He find himself blurting out accidentally. Essek shakes his head softly no against him. “No, you are seemingly working for us still, in strange ways to say the least. Just be aware that next time the Nein return here, you’ll need some sort of usable results, and more than likely need to do a favor for me.” It eases Caleb’s conscience, but mentally remembers to tell the group that later. “I thought I just did a personal favor for you.” Caleb says joking, fingers tracing teasingly lower and lower down Essek’s back. “If it was that simple it would be far too easy to gain Dynasty favor. At least from me.” Essek mumbles half asleep, and soon Caleb feels the drow’s body go limp, falling asleep faster than Caleb could ever dream of.

Caleb wakes before Essek does, not sure what time in the night he finally dozed off, his internal clock knows it’s early in the morning when his eyes flutter open, but without the sun peaking through the windows in the morning it’s hard to pull his body from sleep. Essek in his arms still is somehow incredibly handsome when he’s sleep, even with mused white hair sticking out in odd directions almost fluffy compared to the regal slicked back look he typically kept it in, features soft with sleep but stress from the war and a long life evident in the corners of his eyes. Compared to most elves Essek was young and still in the beginnings of his life, the stress lines making him seem much older and respected looking somehow, while still being very easy on the eyes. “You are staring again.” Essek mock out, as grey eyelids fluttering open, repeating Caleb’s line from late last night. “I would hope you were used to being stared at by now.” Caleb gets Essek to crack a half asleep smile at that. “I suppose you’ll be needing to leave soon.” The smell of breakfast was wafting from the kitchen area into Caleb’s room, mixes of meats, eggs, and whatever vegetable or fungus Cad had managed to work into a meal from the garden. Caleb doesn’t miss the plethora of voices slowly starting to build up either. Never enough time. “It would seem so should you still want to help us.” Essek sits up in the bed, arms reaching out to stretch, before slipping out of the bed entirely. “Of course. Always happy to go along with whatever half cocked idea you come up with.” Essek explains locating his tosses about clothes putting them each on one by one. Caleb follows after, gearing up as well for the long day ahead of him, being careful to wrap his wrists and hands up in fresh bandages. 

“You think going to kill an ancient white dragon is such a horrible idea?” Caleb asks sarcastically sliding his coat over his shoulders the very thought hanging heavily in his own mind since the concept of it had been sprung on them at the smithy. “I think it’s a fucking crazy idea.” Essek says bluntly, finishing dressing by placing his mantle back over cloaked shoulders, Caleb noticing that the clothes were quite wrinkled from sitting on the floor all night. Essek notices as well with a quick snap an arcane wave echoes from his fingers, pressing out all the wrinkles in his clothes into a crisp and authoritative look once again, not a spot or mistake of any evidence from the night before. Caleb’s coat as well is mended in some places, cleaner than it was, and resembling something more decent looking again. “I’ve thought of crazier ideas than that.” Caleb confesses, walking over and pulling Essek closer, by wrapping his arms around his waist. Essek leans in and kisses him softly, no heat or fire, chaste and simple but far too much domestic than Caleb is ready for this early in the morning. ‘Don’t-.’ ‘If something-.’ Essek tries to think of something to say that didn’t make him seem too invested into Caleb, but at least something if the worse should occur, not just kicking him out on his ass without a personal goodbye after last night. “Good luck with that.” Essek says softly after Caleb parts from the kiss, no bite or sarcasm in the tone, a bit on the ‘please don’t die’ side of words. Essek leaves the room first, exiting through the study and towards the kitchen, Caleb stares longingly at the messed up bed wishing to just stay here for a bit longer before following after.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has any suggestions for this pair let me know I want to write and explore these characters and relationship a lot more.


End file.
